Union cabinet nod for phase-II of Pune metro, to cost ₹3,626 crore

Time of India

3 days ago

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved Phase 2 of the
Pune Metro
Rail Project comprising two elevated corridors that span 12.75 km and will be built at a cost of Rs 3,626 crore.
The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the two corridors under Phase 2 of the
Pune
Metro Rail Project -- Vanaz to Chandani Chowk and Ramwadi to Wagholi -- as extensions of the existing Vanaz-Ramwadi corridor under Phase 1.
"These two elevated corridors will span 12.75 km and include 13 stations, connecting fast-developing suburbs such as Chandani Chowk, Bavdhan, Kothrud, Kharadi and Wagholi. The project is scheduled for completion within four years," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
In a post on X, Modi said Pune is developing in every sector and making a crucial contribution to the country's economy.
To further speed up the growth, the government has approved the expansion of its Metro network, the prime minister said, adding it will boost the public transport and make people's lives easier.
Vaishnaw said the estimated project cost is Rs 3,626.24 crore, which will be equally shared by the government of India, the government of Maharashtra and external bilateral/multilateral agencies.
"This strategic proposal is a logical extension of the existing Corridor-2 and aligns with the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which envisions a continuous Chandani Chowk to Wagholi Metro corridor to strengthen East-West mass transit in Pune," Vaishnaw said.
The minister said these extensions will serve key IT hubs, commercial areas, educational institutions and residential pockets, increasing the share of public transport and ridership across the network.
"The new corridors will also integrate at the District Court Interchange Station with Line-1 (Nigdi-Katraj) and Line-3 (Hinjewadi-District Court) to enable seamless multimodal urban travel," he said.
Under long-term mobility planning, intercity bus services from cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru will be integrated at Chandani Chowk, while those from Ahilya Nagar and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will connect at Wagholi, allowing passengers easy access to Pune's Metro system.
"These extensions will also help decongest arterial routes such as Paud Road and Nagar Road, offering safe, fast and eco-friendly mobility options," the minister said.
After completion of these corridors, the projected incremental daily ridership for the entire Line-2 is estimated at 0.96 lakh in 2027, 2.01 lakh in 2037, 2.87 lakh in 2047 and 3.49 lakh in 2057.
The project will be implemented by
Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation
Limited (Maha-Metro), which will execute all civil, electro-mechanical and related works. Pre-construction activities such as topographical survey and detailed design consultancy have already commenced, the minister said.
This strategic expansion is poised to unlock Pune's economic potential, enhance its urban transport infrastructure and contribute significantly to sustainable and inclusive development across the metropolitan region, Vaishnaw said.